Strut construction



G. D. MITCHELL.

STRUT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2I. 19m

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STRUT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLiCATION FILED MAR. 21,1917. 7

Patented Sept. 21, 19%.

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G. D. MITCHELL.

STRUT CONSTRUCTION.-

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 2]. 19'7- 1,353,538, 1 PatenwdSept. 21, 1920.

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(ll/VE/VIOR the position of the section in entree stares FATE? PRC GLENND. MITCHELL, 0F COLLEGE POINT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, T O L-W-F ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC. OF COLLEGE POINT, LONGISLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STRUT CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

Application filed March 21, 1917. Serial No. 156,289.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GLENN D. MITCHELL, ofCollege Point, in the county of Queens and in the State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in StrutConstruction, and do hereby declare that .the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to strut constructions which may beused on aeroplanes but which are capable of being applied to othersimilar structures.

The object of my invention is to provide a strut construction of theproper shape, as for example, in streamline form, but which is madehollow so that the ends of the strut may be attached tothe remainder ofthe structure, thus avoiding the presence of the external fittings,which cause additional Wind resistance.

A further object is to provide a construc tion 'of'this character inwhich the end of the strut is strengthened on the interior at the pointwhere it is attached to the remainder of the structure.

A further object is to provide an internal fitting for the strut whichis so arranged that the strut may be located at any suitable angle tothe remainder of the structure without interfering with the position ofthe fitting. t

A further object is to provide a fitting for this purpose which is soapplied to the end of the strut that the strut and the fitting arecapable of being readily attached to the different portions of theaeroplane, or other structure, in which the strut is used.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detaileddescription thereof contained hereinafter. 2

While my invention is capable of embodimerit in many difi'erent forms,for the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain forms thereof,in the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure l is a perspective viewof a strut shown as applied to a portion of an aeroplane in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a strut alone; Fig. 3 isanother=vertical sectionfof the same taken in a position at angles trFig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, showing the strutatt-ached;

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing the strut attached;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the plate located at the rear edgeof the strut for attachment to one of the bracing wires;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the washers used at the front ofthe strut;

Fig. 8 is aside elevation of one of the plates used at the side of thestrut;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing the method of attaching the overhangstrut;

and

Fig. 10 is an elevational view taken parallel to the side of theoverhang strut.

In the drawings I have shown a beam 1 supporting upon the top thereof astrut 2 made of sheet metal, as for example steel, in

provided a welded joint 3'. In the interior of the strut 2 there is areinforcing plate 4 having upwardly directed wings 5 and 6 anddownwardly directed semi-circular ears 7 and 8, at the sides thereof,which are welded or secured in any suitable manner to the interior ofthe strut 2. The ears 7 and 8 are provided with perforations 9 and 10which register with corresponding perforations 11 and 12 in the sides ofthe strut 2. By providing the upwardly directed wings 5and'6 they may bereadily conformed to the inter nal surface of the strut 2, andfurthermore,

such a manner that at the rear edge there is the greatest strength isobtained at the cention of the part to which it is attached with-.

out necessitatingany change in the form of the reinforcing plate 4.Furthermore, the

curved lower ends of the ears 7' and 8 assist in theaccomplishment ofthe same purpose (See Fig. 2).

In the 'nterior of the strut 2 adjacent to the ears 13F. Adjacent thewashers 13 and 13" are 10- and 8 are located washers 13 and cated theends of a' U-shaped plate 14, the

. lower portion of which is welded to a supthe holes 8, 10,11 and 12 aswell as the washers 13 and 13 A-nut 19 may be pro Vided for the bolt16.- The plate 15 has four holes 2O at its corners to receive twoU-bolts 21, 22, which pass downwardly around the beam 1, so that theirends may be fastened together .under the beam 1 by means of plates 23and 24' which pass over the ends of the U-bolts 21 and 22 and aresecured thereon by means of washers 25 and nuts 26. Above the plate 15at the front of the beam 1 the U-bolts 21 and 22 pass through washers 27and at the rear said U-bolts pass through holes 28, 29 in a triangularplate 30 having a hole 31 to receive a suitable fastening 32 for abracing wire 33, having a turn buckle 34 for tightening the same. At theside of the strut 2 one or both. of the U- bolts 21 and 22 may receive astrap of metal '35 folded on itself so as to engage withsuitablefastenings 36, 37 ,for bracing wires 38,

39 provided with turn buckles 4 0, 41, As,

shown in lbi s. 9 and 10 the U-bolts such as 21 and 22 afio providemeans for securing theretoa strut dlrected outwardly andv later-' allyat the side of theaeroplane. The strut shown in these figures isattached to a U: bolt 42 by means of a 'strapof metal 43 secured to thestrut in the same manner as the Uplate 14. lln this instance, however, l10- cate'between the upper ends of the strap 43 and over the bolt 16 ashort tube 44,.

While I have described 'my invention above in detail, ll: wish it to beunderstood that, many changes can be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

What ll claim is: 1. lln combination, a hollow strut, a fitting liningone end thereof, a base member extending within said end, and aconnectionv taching member within the interior of the strut. v

hollow strut having a reinforcing fitting lining one end thereof,portions of the outer end of said fitting being disposed inwardly of theend of the strut, so as to leave unreinforced portions of the strutadjacent its end which may be readily cut away to conforni to thedesired angular position of the strut.

4., In combination, a hollow strut of streamline form, a hollow fittinglining one end thereof and havingears projecting toward the end of thestrut, so as to leave said 'end unreinforced except for such ears, abase member extending Within said strut, and a bolt extending throughthe strut, ears and base member. 1

In testimony thatll claimthe foregoing l have hereuntwset my hand.

GLENN lD. MITCHELL, Witnesses Anornnann BLACK, x, FRANK J. Bosrwroir.

